<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Hedwig by HataMari</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26369254">Hedwig</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HataMari/pseuds/HataMari'>HataMari</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Azure Moon Route, Blue Lions Route, Character Death, F/M, Heavy use of metaphores, for all of you Edelbert shippers out there</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:08:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,733</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26369254</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HataMari/pseuds/HataMari</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the battle of Enbarr and Dimitri's army succesfully ending the war, Byleth takes a last stroll around the imperial palace. There she finds abandoned rooms, looking around, trying to recreate the life of the emperor and her vassal only to find a well kept secret.</p><p>(Edit: changed the title and added a chapter.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edelgard von Hresvelg &amp; Hubert von Vestra, Edelgard von Hresvelg/Hubert von Vestra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Lost and Found</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I love Edelgard and Hubert and just couldn't let them die without leaving anything for Byleth to uncover. I am so sorry.<br/>Please forgive me any grammatical or spelling mistake, English is not my first language.</p><p>Edit: added a second chapter and changed the title as I wasn't quite content with just one chapter and the latter one.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The fight was over. No, the war was over.</p><p>At their feet lied the emperor of the Adrestian Empire. Once known as Edelgard, now simply called “the emperor”, to try and strip her of anything that would make her a human being. But they didn’t need to do that for her. She herself turned into the very demon, hegemon, which everyone thought her to be.</p><p>And now she’s dead. </p><p>Byleth didn’t know if Dimitri accidentally stabbed her right into her cold heart or if he did it on purpose. She clung to her ideals until the very last minute, putting up a fight, trying to win, even when she was already on her knees, weakened by her transformation. Dimitri tried to spare her. But her dagger in his shoulder was simply too much. She wouldn’t surrender, even in death.</p>
<hr/><p>The former professor roamed the empty hallways of Enbarr’s Palace. These silent and dark corridors might have been occupied up until the very moment they stood at the gates of the capital. Byleth tried to imagine the busy servants, maids and ministers running up and down, busy to please the emperor. So shortly after her death, just an hour after Edelgard died, Enbarr stood still, mourning for the apparently beloved head-of-state.</p><p>She looked left and right at the walls. So many portraits of the Adrestian royal family depicting one person, the reigning couple at the respective time or family scenes with so many children in the picture Byleth couldn’t count them all. Then she came to a halt and hold up the small flame dancing around in her palm. The grand painting in front of her depicted the late emperor, apparently shortly after the war started. A young Edelgard in her typical red regalia, Aymr in one hand, the imperial orb, decorated with the two-headed eagle of the empire, in the other. Although her expression was stern and proud the pressure of the empire seemed to press down on her through her armour. She seemed lost.</p><p>A sudden whimper, distant and faint, pulled Byleth out of her thoughts. She turned away from the painting, going after the unexpected noise. It stopped and she found herself facing an ornamented wooden double door, heavy with age and darkened by it. Right next to it was a simpler one. She decided to open the latter and entered the small room. It was very minimalistic, only decorated with a bed, that caused Byleth backpain just by looking at it, a drawer, filled with neatly folded dark cloaks, trousers in the same colour and white shirts, and a desk with massive stacks of paperwork on it. Judging from the clothes in the drawer, Byleth concluded it must have been Hubert’s room. She strolled over to the desk. The paper was precisely stacked and in order of subject and date.</p><p>Except for one scrap. Taking a closer look at it she couldn’t be more confused. Names over names crossed out, underlined and then again crossed out. Only one was readable, even circled a few times.</p><p>“Hedwig”. <em>She, who fights in a war.</em></p><p>Must have been one of the many commanders she and the Blue Lions slaughtered. She put the scrap back to were she found it, nearly afraid somebody would step into this room. She left it, not wanting to snoop around in the belongings of a dead man any further.</p>
<hr/><p>Next thing she knew, Byleth opened one of the heavy doors. She inspected the darkened chamber, draped in red and gold, the colours of the empire. Heavy and dark wooden furniture stood there, vacant, never to be used again by their owner. As she stepped in, her heel clicking on the floor, she heard that same sound again, this little noise, weaker this time. A cat? Byleth wasn’t really able to recognize the sound. Her gaze fell upon the dark brown vanity standing in the left corner at the back of the room. A brush neatly cleaned laid there. Nothing of interest. Next she turned, facing the former emperors bed.</p><p>It was a mess. Like the emperor.</p><p>The pillows were all over the bed, scattered around like several thoughts in the professor’s head. Bedsheets in a bundle, an organized disarray. Her eyes wandered into the far-right corner. A chair was standing there, alone. Somehow it peaked Byleth’s curiosity. Crack, crack, crack. The wooden floor gave in to her steps. And there it was again, this noise, weak but strongly resonating in her head, making her uncomfortable. Who keeps a cat in this part of the palace? She quickly discarded of her thinking and headed for the seat. Checking it througoutly, there seemed to be nothing wrong with it. Until she noticed something peeking out behind it.</p><p>A folder. A folder filled with drawings, presumably drawn by the emperor -  Edelgard. Bowls of fruit, horses, scenes of the Adrestian court. Ladies-in-waiting in colourful dresses, strolling in the garden of the place, young children running around. Byleth cracked a smile. It was common for nobles to receive drawing lessons and Edelgard seemed to be no exception. Was it a hobby of hers? Going through the drawings they became more and more recent. Then the smile vanished from her face and her brow furrowed in confusion. A pencil drawing, not finished, but with patches of high detail splattered across the most important parts. A pencil drawing, so confusing and yet – calming. A pencil drawing of a child, a newborn, to be precise, lying on its back, face turned away from the viewer. She turned the paper around.</p><p>“Hedwig”.  </p><p>Byleth glanced over the folder in her hands. There was something else behind that chair. Automatically she put the drawings back to where they belonged and set the folder aside. A canvas, carefully hidden by a dark cloth, which blended into the wall behind it. She lifted the cloth and fished out the painting from underneath. She couldn’t make out anything in this corner of the room, so she took a few quick steps and her face went white. An unfinished portrait, depicting the emperor and her vassal. The art style didn’t match Edelgards’, so it must have been an official portrait. No, she thought by herself. Upon closer inspection she could see the closeness of the two, Edelgard sitting on the very chair in the corner of her room, Hubert directly behind it, resting one hand on the back of the seat. They wore their battel uniforms, Edelgard wrapped in the typical red cloth. Piercing eyes, one pair lavender and the other green, starring directly at their former professor. How tired they looked, worn out and with a certain kind of sadness only war could bring. Byleth’s eyes darted at Edelgard. Her hands resting on the Hresvelg relict in an attempt to cover or present her slightly swollen abdomen. With shaking hands she looked at the backside of the painting. A block of text written in a known handwriting greeted her, but there was only one word she could make out.</p><p>“Hedwig”.</p><p>The professor dropped the painting and started pacing the room frantically, looking for something waiting for a noise. A whimper. There it was, every so weak. She nearly ran to the bed and carefully unpacked the nest of blankets. She knew it. Lavender coloured orbs met hers. There she was, the last von Hresvelg, unmistakably so by her eyes and the small tuft of dark brown hair. She picked the baby up in her arms, cooing it a little and wrapping it in the nearest blanket she was able to grab. The child was already in warm clothes, but it wouldn’t hurt to make sure she was warm.</p><p>“Who left you here”, Byleth asked out loud, not awaiting an answer from the infant in her arms, who curiously looked up to her. Probably a maid, who got to scared during the recent battle and cared more for her own life than for that of an innocent child. Edelgard and Hubert’s child. It suddenly dawned on her. These two people, her worst enemies up until a mere hours ago, were human. Just like her, Dimitri and the rest of her dear friends. Of course, they always were, but Byleth learned long ago that it was easier to battle your enemy if you stripped them of everything, until they resemble nothing more than ferocious animals in her mind, which must be taken care of. She didn’t realize she was crying till the small life she carried started to fuzz.</p><p>“Professor? Professor!”</p><p>Dimitri was calling out for her. She whipped the tears from her eyes, took a last glance at the chamber and the portrait lying on the floor and left, biding Edelgard her last goodbye and acknowledging what she tried to archive. She looked down at the infant, smiling. She felt an urge in her chest, a warm feeling of wanting to show this child the bright future her late parents ironically helped to form. Byleth walked with light steps and mused at the infant’s name.</p><p>“Hedwig”. She, who fights in a war.</p><p>And she hoped that this symbol of Fódlans future, very life itself, would never have to endure another war. That, she’ll make sure of.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Last Rites</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Edelgard shares one of her last moments with her child and consort, as news from the Kingdom's army and its advancement come in.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yes, I added a second chapter. I'm just that much of a sucker for bittersweet moments. See it as a kind of prologue, as the story continues seamlessly in the first chapter. Again a little disclaimer: English isn't my first language. I hope it's still readable.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sunset painted an orange sky, turning darker with every passing minute.</p><p>Edelgard sighed. There in the distance she imagined detecting small dots of blue, her mind playing tricks on her, as she sat outside on one of the balconies of the imperial palace. The impending battle stressed her, her eyes tired and nearly falling shut each time she blinked. But she couldn’t allow herself to sleep, not now. Not now. It rang in her head over and over like a melody. Not when there was so much to lose, not when she-</p><p>Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a tuck at one of her hair strands hanging loosely around her face. She focused on the tiny hand grabbing it and let her eyes wander to the face of its owner. The emperor smiled at the small bundle wrapped in blankets, resting in her arms. Big lavender coloured eyes looking into her own. The infant tucked again, as if to distract her mother from her sentiments.  “What is it that you require, o imperial princess?”, she asked with an amused expression. Nobody would ever believe that the head of the Adrestian Empire was able to speak so soft, let alone feel love for another being. No one would ever know.</p><p>Inclining, Edelgard let her forehead touch the small one of her daughter. She chuckled, the child trying to imitate her. Bemused she rubbed her nose against the tiny one in front of her and cooed. “Little Hedy, little Hedy, my pride and only joy.” Feelings of motherly love, actions proving such came surprisingly natural to the emperor, remembering her older siblings taking care of her. But no one would ever know. Her own little secret, only shared with her most trusted person.</p><p>The infant let out a small yawn and shut her eyes, making Edelgard shift into a more upright position. In her arms laid the sleeping form of her little fighter. Hedwig, the fighter, the warrior. She gave a sad smile. Her own flesh and blood had to fight her way into life from the moment she was conceived, might have to fight for her life in the future, if her parents ought to perish. A shudder crept its way across the mother’s back. This was inevitable, being born in troublesome times, especially considering she was the offspring of Fódland’s enemy number one. She shook her head, as if she could shake away her ever-racing mind full of possibilities, full of what-ifs.</p><p>“Your father chose a good name for you”, the woman whispered.</p><p>“Mylady.” Speak of the devil.</p><p>“Hubert”, she spoke in a lowered but serious tone, carefully turning her head in his direction. Their daughter still held on to Edelgard’s hair, seemingly clutching dear life itself.</p><p>“Please, come closer.” He did as he was told until he stood at the side of her chair. She watched him, his gaze steely albeit tired and worn out, his hands intertwined behind his back, one fiddling with the other’s glove. Whatever news he brought her, they weren’t good ones. She turned back to her child.</p><p>“Fort Merceus has fallen and with it the death knight.” His voice was dry and direct as ever but she could hear worry and fear resonating within it. The emperor nodded slowly, processing the information.</p><p>“Furthermore,”, his brow furrowed, “the king requested your presence.”</p><p>“What does he want” she nearly spitted, tossing her head in his direction. Apparently to fast, yanking her hair from her daughter’s grip and a weak whimper escaped the bundle in her arms, followed by a fuzz. Instantly she tried to calm the child, cooing at her, stroking her soft cheek with a finger. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Hubert’s hands twitching, perhaps to do the same. But he paused, instead resting one hand on the back of the chair, the other touching the armrest with his fingertips.</p><p>Soon the noise stopped, Hedwig rolling over in the cloth, burying her face in her mother’s chest and continuing the blissful sleep of the unaware.</p><p>“He wants to talk” said Hubert, eyes fixed on nest of blankets cradled in Edelgard’s arms.</p><p>“What a fool” she mused. Will he try to convince her of surrendering? Never, she thought. They couldn’t coexist, only one of them shall be uniting Fódland.</p><p>“Will you accept his request?” Carefully, not to wake the small human in the woman’s arms, he leaned over and started to pull away the blanket from his daughter’s face.</p><p>“I will”, said the emperor, mentally bracing herself to meet up with her foe. She watched the scene in front of her unfolding, holding her breath to not scare her company. Only touching her lightly with his fingertips, Hubert tucked away a few strands of soft and short dark brown hair behind the small girl’s ear. Then he took a moment, his breathing sharp and short. No one would ever know.</p><p>“Very well. We should prepare ourselves, he wanted to see you at night.” Edelgard nodded, one question still lingering in the back of her mind.</p><p>“How long until they arrive at Enbarr?”</p><p>“We have a month.” She nearly choked on her spit as she heard her companion’s words. His eyes darted to her, giving her a concerned look. Both said nothing, silence looming over them as well as the realisation what the advancement of the kingdom’s army meant. Not a single sound could be heard, except their child’s small breaths. Only their child would remain. And she had to fight.</p><p>“We should be going”, said Edelgard, glancing at her daughter before carefully standing up. Hubert nodded.</p>
<hr/><p>They’ll never have her. Flaming rage rose in her body as the husk disappeared around her. She sat on her knees, defeated, but never surrendering. The emperor of flames looked up, only to be meet by Dimitri’s outstretched hand. No. She’ll never surrender to him. Not after all her sacrifices.</p><p>She remembered the moment clearly, a messenger telling her hastily the news of the kingdom’s victory. The death of her friends. Hubert’s death. She went deaf after receiving the message, not understanding what was said to her, only crying silent tears. She had to prepare. All of the palace’s servants ran up and down, trying to escape the impending battle. Edelgard held her daughter one last time, entrusting her to a maid, telling her to leave and hide. It was the second time she had to let go of someone dear.</p><p>No, she will not surrender to him. She clutched the dagger hidden under her cloak. He will not lay his blood-stained hands on her child, her sweet Hedy. They’ll never have her, never lay a single finger on her. No one should know.</p><p>She smiled and threw the dagger, feeling a sharp pain in the very same moment. She had missed and in turn got stabbed. Her vision blurred. Suddenly she saw her all of her dear friends, who parted from life for her, just behind her former professor and Dimitri.</p><p>And there he was. Hubert smiled down upon her, a genuine one, and took her still outstretched hand. Edelgard’s vision went dark and she exhaled for the last time.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The whole thing was a real ride to write in the first place. Since starting a new game, this time on the Azure Moon route, after playing Crimson Flower, I imagined such a scenario. What if they had a happy accident, during a war that's likely lost?<br/>The name Hedwig was chosen because of its meaning. As an old germanic name it fitted perfectly into the Adrestian Empire.<br/>But enough, I just wanted to say thank you for reading this mess!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>